People, Government and Parliament

After having indications of the willingness to share a discussion on the Lokpal issue, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s offer for a rational dialogue suggests that Anna and his team are using sophistry. Such puerile suggestions will only gravitate and surely never spur the ambience needed for a heart to heart discussion on the Lokpal matter. Nothing can be more disquieting then government’s attempt to make the talk process more inextricable, especially at a juncture when time is slipping away rapidly. Why can’t the Centre depute its representatives for a political dialogue with Team Anna instead of opting for intermediaries? The need for backdoor talks arises only when the option of direct negotiation ends. Leaving a mark of insensitivity, the Central government’s sloth is also making its own position deplorable. Here is a government which is neither willing to understand the fragility of time nor the public emotions or its own responsibilities, it becomes all the more imperative for Team Anna to hold on to its patience. But they should dither from dealing Centre’s sloth with aggressiveness. It is true that all round pressure is the only way to waken up the present government from its slumber but this does not endow rights to Anna Hazare to adopt undemocratic ways to awaken the Centre. Democratic ways would include a demand placed before the government and the Parliament by Anna Hazare to hold a discussion on the Jan Lokpal alone. There is no clause in democracy which grants rights to justify someone’s act as the final verdict. The strength of Anna Hazare’s movement lies in its restrained and disciplined format which should be maintained at all cost. The moribund nature of the movement comes to the fore the moment it is mentioned that August 30 is set as the final deadline for passing of the Jan Lokpal Bill.

At a time when the ruling government is unable to dispense its responsibilities, it is seen that the Opposition is also not playing its role to the hilt. This is foreboding, especially when the Monsoon Session of the Parliament is in progress. Albeit the Opposition is preparing grounds to step up ante against the ruling party, this is not the time to merely unearth the latter’s demerits. Isn’t it appalling that on one hand both the ruling and the Opposition parties are busy narrating the supremacy and purity of the House though the same Parliament has failed to recommend a way to overcome the impasse over the Jan Lokpal Bill. If the Parliament is the apex body representing public aspirations then why has it failed to satisfy the country and its public? Has the Parliament, akin to the Centre, failed to comprehend that the rising corruption has highly appalled the common people and the Centre’s lackadaisical approach is testing their patience? After all why doesn’t the Parliament offer a proposal to take the public in confidence and assure them where their emotions and concerns can be being taken into consideration? If even under such difficult circumstances, the Parliament is limited to launching scathing attack on the ruling government, this is bound to adversely affect its dignity.